


Not A Damsel

by PurpleBraces



Series: Two Idiots Trying Their Best [3]
Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Alternate Universe - Tangled (2010) Fusion, Angst, Art, Emotional Manipulation, Fluff, Inspired by Tangled (2010), M/M, Mutual Pining, Singing, Tangled (2010) References, Temporary Character Death, raph's a snarky disney princess with a frying pan, seriously he's not afraid to knock someone out, sidon is head over heels
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2019-04-24
Packaged: 2019-09-15 11:31:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16932471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurpleBraces/pseuds/PurpleBraces
Summary: I couldn't resist doing a Tangled AU for my boys. This doesn't follow the movie 100 percent, as I had my own ideas on how the story should flow, but there are still a lot of elements from the original.--Prince Raphael has been missing for almost 14 years. No one knows that he's hiding in a tower on the outskirts of the kingdom.That is, until the new prince stumbles into his home and his heart.With a devious plot unfolding and a nefarious father figure, Raph and Sidon are going to need to stick together to make it through this unscathed.





	1. Prologue

Once upon a time, there was a kingdom named Corona. The kingdom was a happy one, ruled by a strong yet fair man named Yoshi who loved his people and wanted them to be happy. He lived happily with his wife Shen, his brother Oroku, and his four children, each one with a magical ability; Leonardo, the oldest, had the power of persuasion. He was able to bend people to his will with a few words, though his father instilled in him responsibility. Donatello, the second oldest, was a genius. He was always building and inventing and improving the kingdom. Raphael, the third oldest, was given the gift of healing. A special song made his hair glow, and that hair could heal any ailment. Michelangelo, the youngest son, was given the gift of emotion. His emotions tended to have an effect on anyone he came close to, whether good or bad.

They lived happily, it seemed, except for the brother. He always found himself in the shadow of the king and his family, and as the years grew on, he was drawn to the third oldest brother. That healing power was something to be desired, and as Oroku grew older, he began to devise a plan to use the child for his own good while also hitting the king where it hurts. He planned and planned until Raphael’s 4th birthday when the kingdom was too caught up in their festivities to notice a man slinking through the courts with a sleeping baby in his arms. All he had to do was offer to take the young man to bed, then slip off into the night.

By the time the son’s absence was noticed, it was too late. Oroku had planned too well, and no matter how the kingdom and the forests surrounding it were scoured, the man and the young prince were nowhere to be found. The king and his wife fell into despair, unable to be surrounded by the place with so many memories. So the king reached out to a friendly neighboring kingdom, and after a few months of negotiations, the neighboring king sent his son, Prince Sidon, and a board of trusted advisors to look over the kingdom until the family could return. The family went into hiding, and no one has heard from them since.

Meanwhile, Oroku found a tower hidden behind a small alcove. The alcove was hidden behind a wall of leaves and vines and was on the very outskirts of the huge kingdom. Just as expected, the tiny area was missed in the search, and the man was free to shape and mold the child to his liking, while also benefiting from the eternal youth the boy’s healing powers provided. Soon enough the child’s past life was a distant memory, a dream lost in the haze of sleep. A memorial wall was raised, depicting the king and his family, but soon even that was hidden away, as it brought the people too much agony. Each year on Raphael’s birthday, the neighboring king ordered lanterns to be released into the sky at night, hoping that one day, they may lead the young boy home.

Years passed, and Raphael’s hair seemed to double in length until it was over four times the length of the boy himself. Oroku made sure he kept it brushed and clean, as he would let nothing endanger his immortality. No matter what he told the boy, however, he could never quite squash that dream of freedom. Oroku would often catch Raphael sitting by the windowsill, looking longingly outside as if he would run free at any given moment. This especially happened on his birthday, when the lanterns flew, and Oroku would forever curse himself for allowing the child to know the true date of his birth.

“My son, you know the world is a dangerous place. The people out there will do nothing but hurt you and abuse you for your power.” Those words were imprinted on the inside of Raph’s skull, but they seemed to disappear anytime he got close enough to the window to look out and get a taste of fresh air.

“Raphael, come and sing for me. I’m feeling a bit worn out.” Oroku demanded every night right after dinner, and the prince would obediently sit in front of his supposed father and sing while the man brushed his hair. Raph didn’t quite know when or how he learned this song, but it was one that he could never get out of his mind. Lavender’s Blue, a nursery rhyme sounding song that sent tingles down his scalp and made his normally raven hair run silver. 

If he knew the future, he would’ve never let the boy have a birthday at all, let alone his true one. Years passed, and to fill the time, the missing prince embedded himself in art, painting the inside of the tower with dreams of the outside and what the world could be like beyond his tall architecture. Maybe...maybe now that he was almost 18, his father would let him go.

There was only one way to find out.

* * *

Miles and miles away, in the palace, Prince Sidon as facing a dilemma as well. He was so close to the stables, ready to ride out in search of a new adventure, when he’d been caught by his father’s right hand man. So close, yet so far.

“And where are you going, your Highness?” Muzu asked, an older thin gentleman with a long white mustache that drooped on the sides like a permanent frown, just above his actual permanent frown.

“I was...just going to ride through the kingdom! See if anything needed to be done or taken care of!” He smiled innocently, his hands behind his back even though he knew there was no way in hell the man was going to believe him. Couldn’t blame him for trying, right?   
Muzu raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “Really? Just like yesterday, when you went on a kingdom run right before your meeting with your father about your upcoming courting ball and didn’t return until the middle of the night?” He recalled.

“That...was different! I promise I’ll be back before I’m needed!” His smile widened as if more teeth meant more trustworthiness.

Muzu stared him down, then sighed and deflated. “You know I cannot stop you. Please be back soon.” He turned on his heel and walked away, and Sidon let out a relieved breath. Muzu couldn’t stop him, no, but the king could. Luckily Muzu didn’t take it that far this time.

With a small whoop of excitement, Sidon ran for the stable before the man could change his mind and hopped on his trusted horse. His excited whoops could be heard throughout the kingdom as he raced through, on the hunt for his newest adventure.

Fate was leading him towards the biggest adventure of his life, and he would end up living with it for the rest of his life.


	2. First Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry it took so long for the new chapter. but now that I know how I want things, updates should be more frequent. I plan on adding art to show how these guys look and other things from the story, so if there's a specific scene you want to see drawn out, let me know and I'll see what I can do!

“Again.”

Raphael panted, running through the drill once more. He’d been training for hours, as he did and had done almost every day with his father. He had to be able to protect himself just in case someone happened upon the tower, or so he’d been told. Raphael doubted it would ever happen, but he knew better than to question his father. The scar on his shoulder and chest reminded him of that each time he looked in the mirror.

“Your stamina is improving.” His father’s words brought him from his reverie, and he managed a breathless thanks.

With a nod of dismissal from his father, he headed upstairs to his small room, hidden behind a curtain. One would think that training so often would make him used to the stress and strain, but his father always seemed to find ways to wear him out every single time. Raphael always had a suspicion that tiring him out was supposed to keep him from asking questions about the outside world. When he was younger, he had almost drove the man mad with all his questions, but an end had been put to that quickly. Oroku had very little patience, even for his own child.

With a sigh, he closed his eyes and wondered. Even though he could ask no questions, that didn’t stop his dreams. What was it like out there? Would he be like and wanted, or only used for his hair like his father always warned? A freak on display, forced to do people’s bidding until his throat was raw and his usefulness ran out? Raphael had no idea, and although he feared what was beyond these tower walls, he still couldn’t help but yearn for a place out in the great wide somewhere.

“Raphael.” With a jolt, he quickly sat up to face his father, who was standing in the entrance of his room.

“Y-Yes?” he asked, his heart pounding in his chest like a startled bird.

“Come. Sing for me.” Raphael bit back the bitter words that boiled in his throat like poison. He used to love singing, when he was younger and didn’t realize that it was the only thing he was good at. Or so his father said, anyway. He wanted to be seen for more than just his voice; his fighting, or his art skill, even. But no, the only worth he had was his magic hair that was activated by some stupid song.

“Raphael, you know how I hate dawdling.” The warning wasn’t lost on him, and Raph hurried to his father’s side to avoid the harsh punishment he knew would come if he wasted any more time. His cheek was still bruised from the last punishment.

Oroku’s hands brushed along the back of his neck, and Raph had to force himself not to flinch. Those hands had hurt him so, and feeling them being so tender was just another reminder that he was only worth care when it came to his hair.

“Flower, gleam and glow…” As he began to sing, he shuddered as his scalp began to tingle. It felt like cool water running down his skin, and he grew to hate to the feeling over the years.

The familiar lyrics bored him, the sensation disgusted him...what part of this was supposed to be a good thing? He didn’t even particularly care for the person he was healing.

“Let your power shine...Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine…” Who came up with these lyrics, anyway? Raph had been taught this song by his father, but he can’t imagine the formidable man sitting down and composing anything that wasn’t a battle plan, let along a healing song about flowers gleaming and glowing. A sharp pinch to the back of his neck made him realize he had almost stopped singing, a grave offense in this time.

“U-Uh...Heal what has been hurt..” He jumped back in, wincing as he knew his father wouldn’t let that slide. He just hoped his punishment wouldn’t be too bad.

The next lines proceeded without incident, and he thought that maybe he would be in the clear for now as he finished out the song.

“What once was mine…” He quickly got to his feet before his father could shove him away.

“Raphael.” He froze, his hands beginning to shake as he turned towards the voice, keeping his eyes on the floor.

“...Y-Yes, father?” He asked, hunching his shoulders.

“What has you so distracted?” The question was asked with a sickly sweet concern, sticking in Raph’s mind like old gum.

“I-I was thinking about…”

“I hope you weren’t still daydreaming about the outside world, Raphael. I’ve told you many times to forget it.” Oroku stood, his hand clamping down on his stolen son’s shoulder. The touch wasn’t meant to be anything but a warning.

“I-I did, I mean, I want to…” He stammered, and he knew instantly that was the wrong thing to say.

“Maybe some time in the hashi will help clear your mind.” Raph let out a small sigh of relief. The hashi was no walk in the park, but he could be sure of what to expect most times. He’d had worse, and he was glad today wouldn’t be one of those days.

“Yes, father.” He nodded, turning to follow through. An iron grip on his wrist stopped him.

“Today is not the day for that. I need to discuss something with you.” He sat down. “I need to travel for some time; and I expect you to do what you’ve always done. Stay here, stay out of trouble, do your chores. You know what I expect and if I return and you have failed me…” He didn’t need to finish his sentence, Raph already knew. What he didn’t expect was the bitter rush of anger to bloom in his chest. His father got to come and go as he pleased, and now he was going to be gone for  _ days.  _ Meanwhile, Raph had never stepped a toe outside of this place!

But then again, his father didn’t have magic hair that glowed when he sang and healed injuries.

“Yes, father. I’ll get your stuff ready.” He grumbled, wilting as he dragged his feet, his hair feeling like an anchor as he heard it rustle behind him.

* * *

“Don’t forget what I’ve taught you, Raphael.” His father told him some time later, waiting by the window for Raph to anchor his hair so he could use it to slide down. Raph hated this part; it always hurt like hell having to lug his father's weight. But he knew better to complain, if he wanted to keep his jaw in place.

“Do your chores, don’t leave the tower, and if anyone comes…” He waited for Raph to finish.

“...Dispose of them.” Raph whispered. As much as Raph hated his healing power, he liked it a hell of a lot more than the opposite. Even if it was the only other thing he’d been trained to do.

“Exactly. I trust you will do as I expect.” The threat didn’t need to be voiced, it was always there in the background. With a final nod, Raph watched his father slide down his hair and disappeared into the brush.

With a shaky sigh, he pulled all of his hair back into the room and looked around. He was alone, all the chores had been done for the day, and he already had dinner for tonight.

He smiled to himself; maybe he could find some more room on the wall to paint.

* * *

Sidon was having the time of his life, riding through the forest. He knew he didn’t have long before Muzu would be looking for him, so he had to make the best of his time outside. And he would be, if his horse  wasn’t acting so strangely.

“Come on, girl. We’ve ridden down this path hundreds of times.” It was then he realized that his horse was leading him off the path, into the dense trees and beyond. What could possibly be so interesting out there? Sidon had never thought to look, but he figured he might as well now before he turned back. They’d been riding for an hour or so now, and it wasn’t like he had anywhere pressing to be or any important tasks to take care of today. Besides, the old trails were getting boring. Maybe he’d find something new to explore.

“Alright, lead the way.” With a triumphant neigh, she trotted into the dense foliage. Sidon had to duck to avoid getting whacked in the face with tree limbs, but when they finally got through, he found himself facing a wall of vines, placed almost as if they were obscuring something. Well, Sidon was never one to back down from something new, so with a steadying deep breath, he pushed the vines aside and lead his horse through.

“...And just how long has this been here..?” Standing tall in front of him was an old tower, all alone in the middle of a wide open clearing. Sidon couldn’t remember hearing anyone mention this, or ever coming across it in his travels. Did someone live there? Was that even allowed?? Well, the only way to answer his own questions was to investigate. Riding closer, he couldn’t see any sign of recent activity, but it could’ve been easily covered by the grass.

“Hmm…” Sidon cupped his hands around his mouth and called up towards the open window, “Hello? Is anyone up there?”

No response, but that didn’t mean the tower was empty. Running his hands along the rough stone, he found a good hold and began the long ascent up the tower. He was going to see what was inside, even though his curiosity had gotten him in trouble many times before. In this case, he figured it would be worth it.

* * *

Raphael was panicking.

He knew his training if someone ever found the tower, but he never thought he’d have to use it! But someone had called up to his tower, and now he could hear them grunting as they made their way up. So to avoid having to straight up murder a most likely innocent man, Raph decided to do the next best thing and hide. There was no way he could hide completely, his hair was all over the tower and the stranger would be inside any minute. There just wasn’t enough time.

That’s how Raph found himself in a small alcove in the kitchen, his hair flung all around the tower to make it harder to track back to him. He held his breath when he heard strange footsteps outside, and a voice reached out to him once more.

“Hello? Anyone here?” It was a young male voice, maybe a year or two older. “Is this all...hair?” He heard the voice mutter, and Raph had to resist the urge to flinch when he felt a light tug on it.

“Come on out, please! I promise I’m good company.” A small chuckle followed his words, making Raph roll his eyes. Great, an arrogant fuckmunch. Just what he needed.

“No, fuck off.” The words escaped Raph before he could think to stop himself, and he had to resist the urge to bang his head against the wall. Was all of his training just going out of the window at this point? He was already fucking up, and he just hoped this new intruder didn’t intend on making himself comfortable.

“Well, the void is being quite rude today.” He heard the intruder mutter, and Raph had to stop himself from letting out a snort. Who said that shit, honestly?

“My name’s Sidon. Prince Sidon, actually. May I have your name, mysterious stranger?”

Raph was stubbornly silent, and the intruder didn’t seem to have any other words for him. However, there was no sign of him leaving, and Raph could feel himself becoming more and more anxious as time went on and he heard nothing.

“You need to go.”

“He speaks! I was beginning to think you were a simple figment from my imagination.” This Sidon character completely ignored his demand, instead he kept trying make nice and it was pissing Raph off.

“This is my home, and I don’t want you in here. Leave now.” He growled.

“Can you at least come out and growl your threats to my face?”

Raph hadn’t been paying attention at first, but he was struck suddenly at the sound of footsteps approaching his hiding spot. Before he could react, the door to the cabinet he was hiding in began to open, so Raph did what he knew best. He fought back.

He swung just as the door opened, cracking the intruder across the jaw and sending him back a few paces. He heard a high pitched yelp and pulled himself out of the hiding spot, fists raised and ready to strike again. He took the time to look over his new opponent.

He was crazy tall, though the bigger they were the harder they fell, and he had long red hair with white undertones that was pulled into a ponytail. His skin was a rich almond tone, minus the slight purpling along his jaw where Raph had clocked him. His golden eyes were squinted in pain, and all in all, if Raph was pressed under other circumstances, he would admit the man was handsome. But at this point, all Raph was thinking about was getting this man out of his house.

“My eyes are up here, weirdo.” He snapped, turned slightly red as the man’s eyes roved over his form.

“Well, at least it wasn’t the nose. That’s my best feature.” He heard the man grunt, making him roll his eyes.

“Though I must say, even without the bruising you’ve caused me, you’re still the cute one out of the two of us.” Raph blinked at the wink sent his way. Was this guy...flirting with him?! After getting punched in the jaw, this man’s reaction was to flirt. Maybe he had a concussion?

* * *

Sidon was in a predicament.

His jaw was throbbing like crazy, but he was moreso distracted by the fiery beauty in front of him.

He looked to be about his age, and Sidon realized that all the black hair littering the tower belonged to this boy. His vivid green eyes were alight with an alluring fury, and Sidon found his eyes tracing along the boy’s freckled face and sturdy form.

“Hey. My eyes are up here, weirdo.” He watched those supple lips form words, and he found himself trying to lighten the mood, if only to keep talking to this mystery in front of him.

Cracking a joke just got him an eye roll, so he decided to go with a flirt; why not, maybe it would clear the air a little. What he wasn’t expecting was for the boy to fire back at him.

“Don’t make me clock you again, loverboy.”

Sidon took a small step back, not wanting to risk it. He found himself flushing; nicknames made never failed to turn him stupid, and he wasn’t exactly used to people flirting with him, be it sarcastically or not.

“Hey!”

He snapped out of his thoughts, realizing that he’d just been standing there with a red face and gaping like a fish.

“U-Um...was that supposed to be an insult? You’ll have to try again, cutie.” he winked once more, drawing an annoyed groan. “Maybe you’d make my day and tell me your name?”

“Not a chance in hell. Now get out of my house!” The raven haired boy snapped, and Sidon could see him reaching for a very heavy looking vase on the counter next to him.

“Okay, okay, no need to add more violence to the situation.” He held his hands up, backing away slowly so as not to set him off.

“I’ll go, if you wish. But don’t think this is the end of our conversation, cutie.” With a wink, he climbed out the window just as the heavy vase flew over his head and crashed on the ground below. Shaking his head at the muffled cursing that followed, Sidon climbed back down the tower to his horse, who was sniffing at the shattered vase curiously.

“Come on, girl. We should head back, for now.” Smiling up at the tower one last time, he hopped on his horse and directed her back out of the clearing.

He was lost in his thoughts all the way back to the palace, almost running over one or two poor pedestrians in the process. Once he had his horse safely back in the stables, he tried to sneak back to his room so he could have some time to think and process everything that had happened that day.

“Your Highness!” Of course, life never worked out the way he wanted.

With a sigh, he turned to face Muzu with a strained smile on his face.

“Your Highness, I’ve been looking for you! If I had known you’d be gone for so long I would’ve insisted you stayed here!” Sidon knew he’d only been gone a few hours at most, but Muzu did always have a flair for the dramatic, especially when someone was doing something he didn’t approve of.

“Well, here I am!” He gave an innocent smile, before promptly tuning out whatever Muzu was saying in favor of daydreaming about the pretty raven haired boy he’d met.

“And what happened to your face? Bruises are not becoming of a prince, and…” Yeah, yeah he’d heard all this before. He had an image to upkeep, and he had to represent the kingdom properly, etcetera etcetera. But even if Muzu was saying anything interesting, Sidon was too overcome with nervous, excited energy to even think about comprehending it.

He couldn’t wait to go back, though he hoped he’d be able to get through an actual conversation without being threatened with bodily harm.

 


	3. Come With Me

The next day, Sidon was ready.

He made sure to get everything done that Muzu asked of him, and by the time he finished he had half of the day remaining to do whatever he wanted to. And he had a specific destination in mind, though he hoped this trip wouldn’t end with another punch; his jaw was still smarting.

He had been heading to the stables when he noticed the royal gardens out of the corner of his eye. Flowers, huh? Quite romantic. He decided to make a quick detour by the royal gardens and...borrow a few flowers. If the gardener saw him he’d probably be strangled, prince or not, but Sidon figured it was a worthy cause to maybe brighten up that angry face he’d been confronted with the day before. The boy had been lovely, but Sidon had an inkling that he was simply ethereal when he smiled.

He decided to pick gloxinias, since they represented ‘love at first sight’. A little on the nose, but Sidon was nothing if not a romantic, and he felt drawn to the mysterious boy. Besides, they were the closest ones he could grab without risking his neck. Seriously, the gardener could be brutal when it came to his flowers, and Sidon didn’t want to look like wrangled mess when he arrived. He had to make a good impression, after all.

Sneaking away from the gardens, he booked it to the stable before the gardener noticed the upturned plot of land and came looking for blood. Making sure to tuck the flowers safely away in his satchel, he hopped on his horse and rode her out of the palace. He had found a new adventure, and he intended to see it through.

* * *

“Fucking uptight stuffy prince.” Raph grumbled to himself as he ran a brush through the thick mane he called hair. “Father’s going to be furious that I broke his vase. How am I going to explain that?” He worried to himself. Father was not a forgiving man, and Raph shuddered at the thought of the man finding out that someone else had been up here and Raph had failed to dispose of him.

Well, hopefully that prince— Sidon, was his name— had learned his lesson and wouldn’t be returning any time soon.

The only thing Raph could do now was try and be on his best behavior until father returned, and deal with the consequences when they came up. Maybe he could gain some mercy by making sure everything else was taking care of.

“Hello!” Raph jumped, nearly dropping the paints he’d been setting up for a small space he’d found on the wall. What the fuck. You had to be shitting him. Raph was hesitant to walk over to the window, he thought that maybe he was just hallucinating.

Peeking over the edge, he saw a white horse at the bottom of the tower, and a familiar, infuriating face smiling up at him.

“Would you mind letting down your hair?”

“Would you mind getting the fuck away from my tower?” Raph replied, tempted to spit over the edge. That would teach him. However, Raph had a bitchass heart and couldn’t bring himself to do it. Instead, he just turned his back on the prince, not that it did any good since he would hear grunting as he began to climb up. It was muffled, as if he was holding something in his mouth.

“Can’t you take a hint? Or do I need to punch you again?” Raph asked, making sure to stay one other side of the room. Turns out, this guy had brought him flowers. Flowers, of all things! If his father came home and found some random flowers in the tower, Raph would be as good as dead.

“I would much rather take you on a date, if you’d let me.” A smile that Raph supposed was meant to be charming followed, and Raph responded with the ever so elegant middle finger.

“Please, just accept the flowers! I picked them just for you and. I...can’t exactly return them, since I...borrowed them from the royal gardens. Don’t make me face the royal gardener.” He pleaded, and Raph was so unimpressed he decided to accept them out of pity, at least that’s what he told himself anyway.

With hesitant steps, he approached this pathetic prince and took the flowers, though before he could back away his free hand was grasped and a gossamer kiss was pressed against it.

“Hey! Back off!” Raph yanked his hand away, ignoring the bright blush that stained his cheeks and the annoying laughter from Sidon.

“Okay loverboy, I took your flowers. Now will you _please_ go home?!”

“You can’t expect me to just leave when I didn’t even know anyone lived here until now! I’m curious!”

“Your ignorance is not my problem.” Raph huffed, trying to figure out where to put these flowers where his father wouldn’t find them.

Sidon raised an eyebrow. “You’re bold to be calling a prince ignorant...I like you. But I would like you even more if you’d tell me your name.”

“In your dreams, maybe.” Raph snorted.

“Do you not have a name? If so, I can call you mine if you’d like.” Ugh, he even winked with that one. Raph tried to hold in the laughter bubbling in his chest, but he just couldn’t help it! This guy couldn’t be serious, and Raph found himself breaking down into near hysterics before he forced himself to pull it together. Turning back to the prince, he found that he was staring at him with a sort of awe, as if Raph had just put the sun in the sky. Raph grew quickly uncomfortable; what was he staring at?!

“What?” He finally snapped, his face burning.

“You are simply stunning.” Sidon said simply, and Raph was stunned into uncomfortable silence. He hadn’t been expecting such a cheesy answer, and he hated how this prince was having such an effect on him with his corny pick up lines and cheesy grin.

“Just...just stop talking, already.” Raph grumbled, finally placing the flowers in the kitchen and resolving to move them to his room later.

“Maybe I will, if you’d honor me with your name.” Rolling his eyes, Raph decided to give in.

“Raphael, okay? My name is Raphael.”

“What a coincidence, the name of an angel fits one as lovely as you.” Jesus, did this guy ever stop?!

Raph didn’t bother with a response, but he made sure to keep tabs as this prince looked around the room. He almost felt self-conscious; surely the prince has seen way more luxurious places than a simple disorganized tower.

“Did you do these paintings on the wall?” Sidon asked curiously, brushing his fingers along the intricate designs.

“And if I did?” Raph snapped defensively, trying to make himself seem as prickly and unlikable as possible. Maybe then this prince would take the hint and leave.

“Well if you did, I would say they’re simply stunning.” Raph sighed, rubbing his nose bridge in agitation.

“You really need to go. If my father finds you here, he will not be happy.” Raph tried to warn him.

“If he’s so overbearing, why isn’t he here now, looking after you?” Sidon asked, and Raphael hated how he was caught off guard. Okay, so this guy wasn’t as dumb as he looked.

“I…” Raphael glanced away, biting his lip. He was already saying too much, he should’ve disposed of this guy the first time he came here!

“Did he...do that to you?!” Raph sucked in a breath as he felt a hand brush over his exposed collarbone and shoulder, where the reminder of Raph’s punishment sat. When had he gotten so close?

“Hey, back up!” Raph snapped, and the prince stepped back with his hands raised in surrender. “And yes, but it’s fine. I healed.”

Sidon looked like his eyes were about to pop out of his skull. He flailed his arms for a minute, seeming like he was going to choke on his tongue before he could he could spit out what he was trying to say. Raph raised an eyebrow as he stared up at him.

“...You good?” He asked, and that seemed to snap Sidon out of his flailing stupor.

“Raphael, that’s not okay! He shouldn’t be hitting you, especially not hard enough to leave permanent damage on your body!” Sidon’s eyes were filled with so much worry and concern, and Raph found himself looking away, unable to comprehend or accept it.

“What are you talking about? It was just discipline. It’s all to protect me from the outside.” He gestured to the open window.

Sidon blinked at him in confusion, realization slowly dawning on his features. “Raphael...have you ever been outside of this tower?” He asked, and Raph slowly shook his head. No sense in lying, it was obvious this guy had no intentions of leaving without answers.

“That’s...terrible. I can’t imagine what it must be like to be confined in this tower for your entire life. Oh, you must let me show you what the world is like, Raphael. I promise, you’ll be safe with me!” He pleaded, but Raph was quick to shut him down.

“Absolutely not!” He snapped. What if his secret was found out?! Oroku had instilled Raph with the fear of being taken, forced to use his powers for nothing good and being nothing more than a commodity, a freak to be observed and only given care when he was seen as valuable. Of course Sidon didn’t know that, and Raph was sure he never would. After all, he had no intentions of revealing his secret.

“But why? I know it may seem a bit daunting, but I’ll make sure no one will hurt you!” Raph opened his mouth to deny again, but all of that fled his mind when he heard the familiar call from the ground below.

“Raphael. Let down your hair.” Unlike Sidon’s previous request, this was a demand. One that Raphael would be a fool not to follow.

“U-Uh, yes Father! One moment!” Without thinking, Raph grabbed Sidon’s wrist and dragged him upstairs to his room and shoved him in.

“Stay here, and I swear if you make a sound, lover boy, I will knock you into next week.” He growled, waiting until Sidon nodded in stunned agreement before he ran back to the window to set his hair up and retrieve his father.

“What were you doing?” Oroku demanded, eyes narrowed in suspicion once he was back inside the tower.

“I...I just finished bathing. I was getting dressed when you came.” Raph had already washed his hair this month, and Oroku knew that, so it would explain why Raph’s hair was still dry and not sopping like a mop.

“I see. I do hope you kept things up while I was gone.” He replied, and Raph had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. Oroku had been gone for two and a half days, it’s not like he had a lot of time to cause chaos.

“Of course, father. I made sure all my chores were done and the house was kept in order.” He said, having to fight to keep from glancing frantically at his room, where Sidon was hiding.

“Good. Then since you have finished all you need to do, you can sing for me.” Raph cringed. This wasn’t a large tower; if he sang, his secret would be revealed. Sidon might run and tell everyone and then….Who knows what would happen?! But he couldn’t tell his father no; he wasn’t looking for a punishment. So with a shaky sigh, he followed his father to the big chair by the fireplace, sitting down in front of it while his father settled behind him.

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he began to sing.

* * *

Sidon was not used to being shoved into a closet almost half his size.

As soon as Raphael had shoved him in here, he’d wanted to burst back out and follow him to make sure he’d be safe. Finding out that the mysterious boy he’d been somewhat pining after was being hurt in his own home was not something Sidon wanted to take laying down, bu he also didn’t want to make things worse, which was the only thing keeping him from playing a knight in shining armor.

But that didn’t mean he was going to stay in this tiny closet. He was losing feeling in his legs, for fuck’s sake!

He quietly stepped out into Raph’s room, taking it all in. There were even more exquisite paintings on the wall, but other than a bed in the corner, the closet, and small desk to the left, the room was pretty empty. Then again, it would be pretty hard to add things to one’s inventory if on was never able to venture outside. Sidon still couldn’t let that go; it was a wonder Raph hadn’t been driven insane being stuck in here all this time with nothing and no one but an abusive father figure to keep him company!

A nudge against his foot almost made him yelp, but he managed to swallow it back down before he alerted anyone to his presence. Looking down, he noticed a small turtle staring up at him suspiciously. Okay, it seemed Raphael did have at least one friend in this tower. That brought Sidon a little bit of peace, but not enough to distract him from his new goal; getting Raphael out of here and letting him experience everything he’s been missing.

Sidon couldn’t exactly pinpoint why he cared so much. He could easily lead some guards to the tower and have them take care of Raphael, but he wanted to do it himself. He wanted to see the joy and the happiness light up Raph’s face as he experienced the world, and he wanted to be responsible for presenting the world to him. Sidon had never felt this way before about anyone, but he knew, deep down, that what he felt for Raphael was beginning to become much more than a simple crush on a pretty boy.

Wait, was someone singing?

Taking a chance, Sidon slowly peeked his head out of the curtain that separated Raph’s room from the rest of the tower. He could see the back of a behemoth of a man sitting in a large chair by the hearth, and Raphael was sitting in front of him as the man ran his fingers through his hair. If that wasn’t concerning enough, Raph seemed to be...glowing. And although Sidon did think his voice was quite lovely, he was a bit distracted by, you know, the _glowing._ It was his hair specifically, the raven strands bleeding into a bright silver, and Sidon quickly ducked back into the room before he was noticed.

Things were beginning to make more sense. Raphael had some kind of power, that’s why he was being kept in this tower! He was probably being manipulated into thinking the world was dangerous, when he was really missing out on how beautiful the world could be! That does it, Sidon was getting Raph out of this tower and into the world to see everything he was missing!

But first, he had to get the boy alone, since he was completely and utterly sure that if he was caught, he would be killed without mercy.

All he could do now was wait.

* * *

He ended up waiting until the middle of the night.

He listened to Raph make and eat dinner with his father, he listened to him train after dinner, and he listened to him bid the man goodnight. All throughout, he heard the man say not one good thing to Raphael. No compliments on his training, no compliments on dinner, not even a thank you for whatever magic mumbo jumbo Raph performed for him with the glowing hair. All he heard were reprimands and threats, and it made his stomach turn that someone like Raphael had to deal with this.

But not for long, he promised himself. Not for long.

Raphael came to get him in a hurried rush. Pressing a finger to his lips, he grabbed Sidon’s arm and pulled him out to the window, eager to get him out of here. But Sidon wasn’t ready just yet.

“Come with me.” He whispered, giving Raph a pleading look as he held his hand.

“What?! Are you insane?!” Raph hissed, glancing back worriedly. His father was not a heavy sleeper, and the longer Sidon was here the higher chance that he would be killed.

“Raphael, you’re not safe here. Can’t you see he’s only using you for your powers?! You don’t deserve this, you deserve to be able to see the world and be happy! Just please, let me show you what you’re missing!”

“Shh!” Raph covered his mouth with his hand, his heart pounding like a drum. He didn’t want to think about how good that sounded to him; being free. Even with this bumbling lover boy at his side, Raph could deal with that if it meant getting out of this tower. But logically he knew it just couldn’t be. Sidon just didn’t understand; sure it was lonely in this tower, but it was the safest place for him.

“Please, just go. Now! I don’t want you to be killed.” He pleaded, and he could see Sidon’s resolve melt away.

“...Fine. But I will be back, Raphael. I’m not giving up on you.” He reached out and cupped his cheek before Raph could protest, then he disappeared down the tower wall.

And if Raph watched him disappear into the night, then that was his business and his business only. Sighing, Raph ignored the yearning to follow. He had been so close to freedom, but his fear had held him back.

“Damnit.” He grunted, having to resist punching the wall or something equally as reckless, for that would definitely wake his father and lead to punishments.

Next time, he would go. Next time, he would be free.


End file.
